Brussels - Vibrant Capital of Europe
As the capital of Belgium and administrative centre of the European Union, Brussels is a cosmopolitan, vibrant and modern metropolis that’s permanently buzzing with tourists and business travellers alike. Great food, friendly people, breathtaking architecture, cultural attractions – the city has it all. And the best of it: Brussels can be easily discovered on foot.
By Marc Baumann
Whether shopping or sightseeing, visitors get a grand taste of the good life in Brussels. The city’s cuisine is one of the finest in the world, and the countless chocolate shops make fabulous desserts. Known for its beer (more than 600 varieties), Brussels is also a ideal place to socialize in the pubs and take in a classical open-air concert. Tourists from all over the world come to Brussels not only because of its international ranking as a convention center and the capital of Europe, but also for its thriving design scene and its wide range of cultural attractions.
A vibrant city against all stereotypes
Any stereotype portraying this as city of business people and bureaucrats – proper, serious, buttoned-up – tells only part of the story. Yes, Brussels, the capital of the kingdom of Belgium, is an important administrative, financial, commercial, and industrial center. Much of the administration of the European Union takes place in Brussels, and it is the headquarter of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Among its varied manufactures are electronics equipment, machine tools, paper, processed food, pharmaceuticals and lace.
But Brussels is much more than that. It sparkles with breathtaking architecture, over 100 museums, broad tree-lined streets, and has one of the highest concentrations of restaurants in the world. A vibrant cafe culture adds an air of conviviality and relaxation. It is also home of word-renowned artists such as Surrealist painter René Magritte, songwriter Jacques Brel and best-selling author Georges Simenon and know as the capital of comic strips with world-famous characters such as “Tintin” and the “Smurfs”.
No wonder, Brussels regularly ranks among the Top 15 cites in the annual “Worldwide Quality of Living Survey” by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.
The old saying “All roads lead to Rome” should be updated to read: “All trains lead to Brussels.” Thanks to the Eurostar train, travelers can leave London’s Waterloo Station in the morning and be in Brussels 3-1/2 hours later, in time for lunch. Paris is just 1-1/2 hours away on a high-speed train, and Amsterdam only 2-1/2 hours distant.
A city with a long and eventful history
Brussels was officially founded in the year 979. But legends lead to the assumption that the origin of the city has to be situated at the end of the 6th century. The city was inhabited by the Romans and later by the Franks. An oratory was founded there by the bishop of Cambrai on an island in the Senne in the year circa 600. The city was fortified in the year 1100 and became a commercial center in the late 12th century on the trade route from Bruges and Ghent to the Rhineland. It developed into a center of the wool industry in the 13th century.
In the 15th century the arts flourished and many stately mansions were built. Brussels became the seat of the dukes of Burgundy in 1430 and later of the governors of the Netherlands. It was renowned for the luxury and gaiety of its life. In the late 16th century the city was the center of the duque de Alba’s reign of terror.
Brussels suffered heavily in the wars fought in the Low Countries in the 16th to 18th century. It changed hands several times in the French Revolutionary Wars; later, during the Waterloo campaign in 1815, it was Wellington’s headquarters. From 1815 to 1830 it was, with The Hague, the alternate meeting place of the Netherlands parliament. In 1830 it became the capital of independent Belgium. Brussels was occupied by the Germans in World Wars I and II. Following constitutional reforms in 1989 and 1993, Brussels became a separate region within a federalized Belgium.
Dutch and French - the two official languages
The Kingdom of Belgium is located in northwest Europe bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and France, with a short coastline on the North Sea. Belgium has a population of over 10.5 million people, in an area of around 30′000 square kilometers (11′700 square miles). Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe, Belgium’s two largest regions are Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north, with 58% of the population, and the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia, inhabited by 32%.
The Brussels-Capital Region is an officially bilingual enclave within the Flemish and near the Walloon Region, and has 10% of the population. This means that both French and Dutch are the official languages of the city. A linguistic curiosity is the “Marollien” dialect, based on the Walloon of Liège and heavily influenced by the general (Dutch) Brussels dialect, which used to be spoken mostly in a central section of the city, the “Marolles/Marollen”. Today, all Brussels dialects are on the verge of extinction, although some try to revive them.
Street names and traffic sings are always in the two languages French and Dutch. Brussels it is a cosmopolitan city where not only different languages can be heard on the street, but also where many different cultures live together. This liveliness and international flair is, of course, intimately related to its role as a crossroads for all of Europe.
Brussels, located in the centre of Belgium - at the junction of the Charleroi-Brussels and Willebroek canals- , is also the largest municipality of the Brussels-Capital Region. This municipality inside Brussels is correctly named The City of Brussels, which is one of 19 municipalities that make up the Brussels-Capital Region, with a total population of 1 million inhabitants. The Metropolitan area has about 2 million inhabitants.
Two parts, 19 districts - all within easy reach
Brussels can be divided into two parts. The Lower Town, a maze of pleasantly tangled streets, centers on the Grand’Place. Wide boulevards and beautiful houses distinguish the Upper Town. Until the late 19th century, Brussels stood on the banks of the River Senne. Then city fathers decided the river was unsanitary and flood-prone, and they bricked it over. Today it flows under the city.
Spread out, Brussels is comprised of 19 separate districts, representative of its various populations. Ixelles is the more quiet and tranquil part of busy Brussels while Saint-Gilles is popular with those interested in architecture and Art Nouveau, most notably, the Horta House is located in this district.
In the area between De Broukère and Place Rogier one can find around a dozen places of interest including Brussels’ Red Light District, the “Bourse”, Brussels’ stock exchange, the Church de Notre Dame de Finistère and the Church of Sainte-Catherine.
De Broukère is Brussels’ commercial and entertainment centre. It is also here where visitors and locals can find an abundance of seafood restaurants largely due to their close proximity to the excellent fish market which is definitely worth a visit. The fish is brought in daily and quickly snapped up by the best of Brussels’ restaurants.
Since Brussels is much smaller than other European capitals such as Paris, London or Berlin, all areas are within easy reach by a brisk walk. In addition, the city has a well-organized system of airport trains, a Métro, trams and buses.
Cosmopolitan and neighbourly - with breathtaking architecture
Travelers often mistakenly regard Brussels as simply a hub to get to their final destination, rather than as a vacation spot. What makes the city so unique? Seafood in great restaurants, the smell of hot waffles on a cold winter’s day, pubs and cafes that never close, the cosmopolitan but neighbourly feel, forests practically on the doorstep, truffles and pheasant in autumn, among many other things.
Like with the mix of culinary delicacies and languages, the same variety and contrast can also be found in the different architectural styles in Brussels, the former capital of the medieval Duchy of Brabant. The styles range from Gothic churches and cathedrals to the elegant classical facades of the Palais des Nations, the Royal Palace and to the many art nouveau and art deco houses in the comfortable neighborhoods where the Bruxellois live.
The best place to savor the city’s hidden spirit is the magnificent Grand’Place, a 17th-century square lined with ornamented guild houses that once served as meeting places for butchers, tailors, bakers and sailors. Here, too, stands the imposing Gothic town hall, its facade dotted with statuary. French author Victor Hugo once called Grand’Place “the most beautiful square in the world.”
This luxuriously ornamented architecture rose Phoenix-like from the ashes after the French king Louis XIV bombarded Brussels in 1695, destroying the original Grand’Place. Today, it’s a place to extend your neck skyward - ideally with small binoculars in hand - to admire the statues and gold filigree decorations crowning elaborate rooflines.
Near the Grand’ Place is the illustrious fountain of a small boy urinating, named “Mannekin-Pis” (1619). This tiny statue is well know as Belgium’s national symbol. Sculpted in bronze in 1619 it replaced the stone version nicknamed “Little Julian” which stood in the same site since the 14th century. The statue is now so famous that the city has appointed a special keeper to give him a daily polish and dress him in one of the many ceremonial costumes sent from around the world and now displayed in the Museum of the City of Brussels.
Other absolute Must-Sees include the Renaissance-style Maison du Roi or “Broodhuis” from the 13th century, the meeting place of the old States-General of the Netherlands, the Palais de la Nation (parliament building); the Palais de Justice and the Palais du Roi (royal palace), the Collegiate Church of St. Michael and St. Gudule, which contains many noted Flemish paintings.
A big variety of cultural events all year long
Brussels is not only a convenient city, but also a very lively and friendly place, day and night, with countless events taking place in its diverse neighborhoods throughout the year. Spring and summer are filled with music and performing arts festivals like the “KunstenFESTIVALdesArts”, the “Zinneke Parade”, “Les Nuits du Botanique”, the “Jazz Marathon”or the “Couleur Café” Festival.
Historical events like the “Ommegang” are also infamous. During July and August, “Bruxelles-les-Bains” is an urban beach scene on the banks of the canal, with concerts, sports and shopping. In December, a “European Christmas Market” unfolds on the Grand’Place. Besides these annual events, the restaurants and a vibrant nightlife, there are tons of theatres, movie theatres, centers for the performing arts and other cultural attractions that keep locals and tourists entertained and busy.
Published March 2008 in the magazine of AOSpine International, a worldwide community of surgeons and other experts for spine surgeries.
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